Best connection wiim ultra - audiolab 7000A

[ABAstroUK]

Is it really a problem that needs to be solved if @walburg just found the best connection between the WiiM Ultra and the 7000A and for him it happens to be using the Ultra as a pre-amp and the 7000 in power amp mode?

Absolutely no problem, I was just curious why the preamp of the 7000A would be worse? I feel more comfortable having the power on volume limiter of -20dB on the 7000A to save my speakers

 

[slartibartfast]

Is it really a problem that needs to be solved if @walburg just found the best connection between the WiiM Ultra and the 7000A and for him it happens to be using the Ultra as a pre-amp and the 7000 in power amp mode?

Just a mystery which must have a reason

 

[ABAstroUK]

Just a mystery which must have a reason

Just tested it briefly, can't tell any difference myself. RCA out to Aux1 max volume on amp versus RCA out to Power in

 

[pieterv1]

Just tested it briefly, can't tell any difference myself. RCA out to Aux1 max volume on amp versus RCA out to Power in

And how about the Ultra's analog output vs digital?

 

[ABAstroUK]

And how about the Ultra's analog output vs digital?

I don't have an Ultra as yet, just a Pro+. The DAC in the 7000A is the same ESS chip as the Ultra so I doubt there's any perceptible difference. I switch periodically between the Pro+ DAC and 7000A DAC and I'm yet to hear any difference with my 62 year old ears

 

[harkpabst]

I don't have an Ultra as yet, just a Pro+. The DAC in the 7000A is the same ESS chip as the Ultra so I doubt there's any perceptible difference.

Once you have one, don't forget to check.

And no, don't get me wrong, I'm not about to say "You will be surprised" or anything like that. I just think its possible that there is a difference and it might be more to a listener's preference or just not. I don't pretend to know. But if someone tells me he likes the Ultra as a pre-amp better than that of the 7000A, it's certainly not like he told me "after one week of burn-in".

Having said that, I understand everyone who wouldn't even care about small differences if this meant losing the additional "mechanical" safety measure of an analogue pre-amp. I for my self have been using the WiiM Ultra as a pre-amp into a pair of V3 Monos for many weeks now (and through a number of firmware updates) and I didn't have any issues.